Sega's first Xbox racing game, Sega GT 2002
was a solid experience but the latest installment has been improved
dramatically. Sega GT Online features dozens of new cars, additional tracks, and
slightly enhanced graphics. However, the biggest addition this time is the
extensive online support using Xbox Live, where up to four players can compete
simultaneously. Going online also offers the ability to download new vehicles
and trade cars with other players. These online modes make for a very deep and
satisfying experience. While it lacks the visual polish of Project Gotham Racing
2, the online modes, added vehicles and improved graphics should please die-hard
racing fanatics.

While Sega GT 2002 was a solid racer when it
came out a while back on the Xbox, it was overshadowed by higher profile
releases such as Project Gotham Racing and Sony's ever-present Gran Turismo
series. However, that hasn't stopped Sega's internal developers, WOW
Entertainment from returning with a new installment that features some fairly
significant improvements. To start, gear-heads will be happy to learn that Sega
GT Online features more than 40 additional vehicles ranging from classic
roadsters and muscle cars of the 70's and 80's, to super-sleek concept vehicles
and more. From a visual standpoint, Sega GT's graphics engine has undergone some
slight tweaks, with new tracks and enhanced weather environments, but the
overall look of the game is still blocky. The game's environments and tracks are
still rather bland, imitating the dry, clinical look of Gran Turismo, without
offering the depth of realism of Polyphony's seminal racing title. There are
approximately 40 additional vehicles this time. The expanded roster adds more
variety to the game. Players can control vehicles from a variety of
manufacturers including Toyota, Honda, Ford, Chrysler, GM, Dodge and others.
There's a pretty decent selection of vehicles available initially, and many more
can be unlocked by completing races and challenges in Sega GT Online's various
modes.

The main meat of the game is the GT mode,
which unfolds in a standard manner. Your first task is to purchase a vehicle and
place it in the garage. In the garage, players can then purchase parts to
upgrade performance, change the car's transmission, or can sell their car for a
better model. After you've selected and tweaked your ride, its time to make a
run for it in the GT mode. This mode is divided into a series of 5 standard
races followed by a license exam. Once you've successfully completed a racing
level by finishing third or higher, you unlock the license exam. Once you have
achieved your license, the next bracket is unlocked. As you complete races and
licenses, you'll earn money that you can use to buy parts and new cars, which
helps you immensely when you move on to the next bracket. The GT mode is
challenging and difficult, you'll have to develop a highly-tuned racing ability
to progress, especially later on. The upside to this stuggle is that Sega GT
Online allows you to create a customized vehicle and unlock a number of sleek
driving machines, so the effort is worthwhile.

In
addition to the GT mode, there are several standard single player modes
including Time Attack, Quick Battle and Event Races. Most of these are fairly
self-explanatory, though the Event Races allow you to win prizes when you
complete them, each of these has a unique set of requirements. Players can also
race classic vehicles in the game's unique Chronicle mode, which allows you to
unlock additional cars and vehicles as you complete races, using a cool bingo
style board that allows you to add vehicles to the garage quickly. Once of the
game's more interesting areas comes in the Gathering mode. Here, you have to
complete a variety of technical and racing challenges, which is harder than it
seems, especially the timed checkpoint survival events, which leave very little
room for error. Some of the other technical challenges require you to completing
an entire race without going off the track, navigating a course without hitting
another vehicle, or pass a certain number of rival cars within a time limit.
Giving players different race conditions and requirements is a good idea because
it reduces the monotony of driving around the same courses repeatedly. These
mini-games are fun, and the fact that completing these unlocks additional cars
gives you a strong motivation to keep playing, and adds to Sega GT Online's
replay value significantly.

Once you get the basic of the game down in the
solo modes, you are then ready to go online and compete against up to ten other
players using the Xbox Live service. There are several game types available, and
players can choose to play against others using the Optimatch service, which
sets you up with players who want to play in a similar mode of play. Once you're
logged in, you can view your rankings, compete in official contests and more.
Sega GT Online also lets you compete in official contests against other players
in order to win downloadable content such as new vehicles and other items. There
are some good ideas here, but they're undermined by the navigation menu, which
is clunky and awkward to use. Unfortunatley, the biggest problem with the online
game lies in several technical areas. Sega GT Online suffers from excessive lag
that makes playing a chore, and races ended prematurely several times for no
apparent reason. This definitely isn't up to the standards set by other Xbox
Live titles, and gave us flashbacks to the many frustrating problems encountered
in dial-up connections. The overall quality was subpar for a broadband-only
game, and hugely frustrating considering online connectivity is one of the key
enhancements of the game.

The vehicles' controls and handling is
contigent on many factors, such as the parts installed, type of vehicle and
model you're racing. However, the game offers players a consistently realistic
feel throughout that makes driving incredibly realistic. The performance of each
vehicle is realistic and believable. For example, controlling the more advanced
sports cars requires more skill, because they have a tendency to fishtail around
corners at high speed, so you have to adjust your expectations. However, Sega GT
Online's approach is more arcade-oriented and thus the cars are slightly easier
to handle than in other simulation titles. Adding new parts and making
adjustments actually makes a noticeable change the vehicles' performance, which
adds to the game's overall depth and realism. Sega has done a decent job with
the controls and the game strikes a good balance between realistic performance
and arcade thrills, though this median probably won't impress hard-core
simulation fans.

When it comes to visuals and graphics, the
game is a mixed bag. Sega GT 2002 was a solid title when it came out two years
ago, other titles such as Project Gotham 2 set much higher standards. While
there have been some improvements made with the newest installment, such as
improved lighting and more dramatic weather effects, the environments still feel
grainy and washed out, lacking the crisp definition that Xbox owners have come
to expect. The courses themselves feel a bit bland and uninspired, with
predictable designs. The car models don't have a lot of detail and lack polish,
displaying the occasional jaggies making for a sub-par visual experience. The
game's soundtrack features a variety of punk-pop and rap music, some of which is
better than others, though there are a few tracks that overpower the action on
the road. Overall, the game's production values are adequate, but Sega GT Online
doesn't have the polish that players have come to expect.

The
verdict on Sega GT Online is that this release is a disappointing mixed bag. The
low retail price means that expectations shouldn't be too high. In the plus
column, the game implements some interesting ideas such as the Survival Time
Attack and Gathering modes, which are a bit more interesting than the norm.
However, the graphics are dull and washed out, lacking the definition and
clarity gamers have come to expect. The structure is a bit predictable, but not
the difficulty curve isn't too steep, and most players should be able to unlock
many additional vehicles quickly. However, the single player game feels
derivative and uninspired, especially compared to other Xbox titles on the
market. Going online is the most frustrating aspect of the game, with hackneyed
presentation and sub-par technical aspects, the game falls short of the mark.
Excessive lag, unpredictable enemy AI and frustrating time-outs actually makes
the online experience inferior to the solo game. While there are some
interesting ideas, Sega GT Online's inferior implementation is a major drawback.
This isn't a terrible game by any means, but it is a disappointment that feels
rushed and underdeveloped. Sega GT Online is a technically competent racers, but
its lack of polish and technical glitches means it doesn't to live up to its
potential.